British powerhouse with a cracking foundation

Kate Moss has graced the pages of fashion magazines for over 25 years and she shows no sign of retiring any day soon. In an industry that ruthlessly uses and discards models after their sell-by date she has managed to stay on top. But what is the secret behind her long lived career?

A few weeks ago Snappy Snaps got some great publicity with claims that an increasing number of customers have been asking to have their photos digitally enhanced. Looking at any glossy magazine today it’s not hard to fathom why someone would want to digitally alter their image. Social networking sites such as Facebook, My Space and Bebo all encourage their users to upload their photos for all to see. No one wants to show themselves off in a bad way and as such Photoshop and other image editing software come well handy. Manufacturing a brighter smile, smoother skin, red eye reduction or even a few inches off the waist is not uncommon with todays technology.

In August some tabloid news papers published pictures of a tired and wrinkly looking Kate Moss on holiday in St Tropez and the whole nation gasped in shock. How was this possible, people asked? She had just appeared in three major campaigns, Top Shop, Cavalli and Longchamp looking fabulous. Why all of a sudden did she look old, exhausted and haggard? It didn’t add up and people felt let down and betrayed, not necessarily by Kate but by the publications.

In an era where a models life expectancy doesn’t pass the 30 mark, Kate Moss has managed to stay on top even at the age of 35 and she shows no sign of leaving that coveted spot any time soon. A lot of that is thanks to modern technology and airbrushing to be more specific. It has become increasingly easy to extend a models career simply by digitally reducing the fine lines around the eyes or the dreaded wrinkles below the jaw line. Over the years Kate has graced 29 covers of British Vogue and over 50 Vogue covers worldwide. That is more than any other model in the world could ever dream of. But looking at all these covers you start to notice that Kate looks practically the same age throughout.

‘I love Kate Moss’, says Monica Stephen, 29, a web editor from California. ‘She is a complete icon exuding both internal and external beauty. I just think it’s a shame when magazines airbrush her beyond recognition. It kind of deters from reality. When everyone knows her real age then she should be portrayed as such and it wouldn’t come as such a shock to people when they finally see her real face.’

‘Working in the editing industry myself I know how the technology works’, says Ms Stephen,‘I have followed the evolution for the last ten years and it’s incredible just how far it’s come. In my own personal opinion airbrushing is something that should be considered carefully - there are some very stylized and highly designed adverts that I don't mind airbrushing on because its part of the overall 'slick' look the ad is trying to achieve. But when adverts are looking to represent 'real women', 'real situations' etc, they should stay away from airbrushing because that is completely missing the point and is negatively affecting people looking at it and trying to identify with it.’

Ms Stephen goes on to say; ‘Here in the States we have plenty of tabloids and ‘gutter press’ that thrive on candid paparazzi shots of celebrities looking their worst. But up until these latest photos we haven’t had that much coverage on Kate Moss since the ‘cocaine scandal’, which subsequently went on to land her more fame and more work than she’d previously had.’

A scandal like that would have been enough to destroy anyone’s career. Just look at Kerry Katona and Daniella Westbrook. But Kate Moss is not your average career woman. She is a multibillion pound corporation in her own right. Moss has worked hard and she has endured the perils of being an international supermodel. With over 25 years in the industry the mother of one has battled addiction and heartbreak in equal measures. She’s travelled the world time and again and partied with the crème de la crème – so is it really that strange that this national treasure has started showing signs of ageing?

After a career of that magnitude I’m sure even the best of us would start crumbling although Kate is doing pretty well.

Thanks to modern technology it is clearly obvious that this impressive British powerhouse, despite showing a few cracks in her foundation, will no doubt withstand the test of time leaving behind an ageless legacy.

By Dan Kreckovic